Evaluation and comparison of different versions of the Body Shape Questionnaire

The Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) is a widely used scale to assess body dissatisfaction. Several short forms of the BSQ have been introduced. In the present study, the full-length 34-item version of the BSQ and seven derivations were evaluated. Factorial validity was analyzed by confirmatory factor analyses in a representative sample of German females (n = 1080). Treatment sensitivity was evaluated in a sample of 43 women with bulimia nervosa who completed the BSQ before and after cognitive-behavioral therapy. While fit indices of the full-length version of the BSQ were poor, three of the derivations had reasonable fit. If treatment sensitivity is considered, one of the short forms performed best. This derivation is one of the eight-item versions of the BSQ (suggested abbreviation: BSQ-8C). In conclusion, the present study presents the empirical background for choosing between eight different versions of the BSQ. Thus, it is no longer necessary for researchers and clinicians to make their choice based on subjective criteria. Nevertheless, research on the derivations of the BSQ as stand-alone questionnaires is needed.